Man Held in Killing of Relatives, Girlfriend, Child

STOCKTON — An unemployed cook stabbed his father, his grandmother, his girlfriend and her 3-year-old son to death after a family argument, but spared his own two young children, police said Tuesday.

Richard R. Brown Jr., 27, used a kitchen knife to carry out the killings late Saturday or early Sunday, police said.

Brown was arrested Monday night while driving back to the home where the slayings took place. He was surrounded by police when he came to a halt at a stop sign.

"He was crying, he was distraught, he was upset. He made statements that led to his arrest," said police spokesman Doug Anderson.

Brown was held without bail on charges of murder and of endangering his two children. He was booked into San Joaquin County Jail pending arraignment and placed on medical watch.

The surviving children, both younger than 2, were in good condition, although they showed early signs of dehydration after being left alone in the home for 24 to 36 hours, Anderson said. The children were placed in protective custody.

When Brown was questioned about a motive, Anderson said: "What we've got at this point was anger. There was an argument, a family dispute, he became angry, got a knife and stabbed the victims" multiple times.

Brown had not previously been charged with violent offenses, although he had some misdemeanor arrests for infractions that Anderson would not divulge.